About us

We—Fran and Maarten—met in 2017, tied the knot in 2019, and launched Koeketiene in 2020 during the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic. After a "false start" in September 2020 (when we were forced to close just four weeks later due to the second lockdown), we finally opened our doors for good in May 2021.

Since starting this journey, our family has grown. We are now the proud parents of our son, Kars (6.5 years old), and our daughter, Kiki (3.5 years old). Our home is also shared with Taboe, our 17-year-old cat, and the oldest resident of the house, Theo the tortoise, who is an impressive 45 years old.

Our shared love for food runs deep:

Maarten is a music composer and jazz pianist who originally started working as a chef to pay for his studies. Today, he still beautifully divides his time between the kitchen stove and the piano keys.

Fran graduated as a dietitian and has loved stirring the cooking pots since she was a little girl.

Because we live right here on the premises, the atmosphere at Koeketiene is genuinely warm, cozy, and homelike. We cannot wait to welcome you!